Container with alignment feature and carry tray transport system therefore

ABSTRACT

A container with an alignment feature and a carry tray disclosed. The container has an upper edge and a lower edge and a rim at the upper edge of the container, a bottom collar including a container base at the lower edge of body, and a container alignment feature with a central hub and two or more arms extending outwardly with a decreasing cross sectional area. An optional drainage cross in the container base and one or more tag insertion locators may also be included. Generally, the container alignment feature includes two arms and the central hub has a height greater than the arm height and an arm width that decreases as each arm approaches the periphery of the container. Also included is a carry tray with pockets including a rear wall, a base, a base alignment feature having a central hub and arms extending outwardly.

REFERENCE AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a CONTINUATION-IN-PART OF U.S. Provisional Patent Application U.S. 61/519,118, entitled “ALIGNABLE POT AND RACK SYSTEM” filed May 17, 2011. All aspects of Provisional Application U.S. 61/519,118 are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Containers, such as planting pots and carry trays for horticultural suppliers such as greenhouses are often used growing and transporting plants to market. Other containers such as food containers and dry goods containers are similarly filled and transported. Generally, these systems do not provide any alignment for the containers in the trays and any such systems have not provided ease of insertion of the container in an aligned position or the ability to maintain the container in the aligned position during transport. As labeling and printing on containers has improved an unmet need for such alignment and retention has arisen.

SUMMARY

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a container with an alignment feature and a carry tray for such a container is disclosed. The container in accordance with the present invention has an upper edge and a lower edge and a rim at the upper edge of the container, a bottom collar including a container base at the lower edge of body; and a container alignment feature with a central hub and two or more arms extending outwardly the hub where each arm has a cross sectional area that decreases toward the periphery of the base. The container of the present invention may also optionally include a drainage cross in the container base, and one or more tag insertion locators formed in the container rim. Generally, the container alignment feature includes two arms and the central hub has a height greater than the arm height and an arm width that decreases as each arm approaches the periphery of the container. The container may be formed of any suitable method including, but not limited to thermoforming, injection molding, blow molding and rotational molding. The container may preferably be a frustoconical planting pot; however any fillable container may be useful.

A system in which the alignable container may be used is also provided including a carry tray with a plurality of pockets, each including a rear wall and a base and a base alignment feature raised from the base and having a central hub as well as at least two arms extending outwardly from each arm and having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the periphery of the base. A carry tray is also disclosed

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and the many embodiments thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of the container of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a first bottom, plan view of the container of the present invention with additional base and cap assemblies included;

FIG. 3 illustrates a first side, plan view of the container of the present invention with additional base and cap assemblies included;

FIG. 4 illustrates a second side, plan view of the container of the present invention with additional base and cap assemblies included;

FIG. 5 illustrates a lower isometric view of the container of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an isometric view (partially cut away) of a carry tray in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a top plan view of a carry tray in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a side plan view (partially cut away) of a carry tray in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described with occasional reference to the specific embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

The containers and carry trays of the present invention are typically manufactured by the thermoforming. Thermoforming provides cost-effect thinwall nursery products that are highly uniform, provide improved durability and stackability. Generally, an extruder melts and extrudes polymer pellets into a rough sheet form and a chill roll stand cools the sheet and creates a sheet having the desired width and a uniform thickness across the sheet. The sheet is then cooled to allow the molecular structure of the polymer to realign. The thermoforming process heats the plastic sheet in an oven to a forming temperature at which the sheet is pliable. The sheet is formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create the final containers or carry trays of the present invention. The sheet may be vacuum formed to a mold; however more typically in large production runs the sheets are heated, formed, allowed to cool then and trimmed in a continuous high-speed process. Preferably, the plastic sheet is fed from a roll or extruder to indexing chains that pierce the sheet to provide motion through the machine. The sheet is carried by the chain to an oven, heated to the forming temperature of the plastic and then to a form station where a mold and vacuum box close on the sheet. The vacuum removes air and pulls the sheet into the mold. Additionally, a plug may be used to assist in formation of the product in deep areas of the mold and pressurized air may be used to force the sheet into detailed shapes of the mold. After forming reverse air pressure (air-eject) may be used to break the vacuum and force the finished parts out of the mold. The parts are allowed to cool on the sheet until entering a trim station, typically a piercing die that cuts the parts from the sheet. A second type of machine used in this process has the ability to trim while the product is in the mould station.

While thermoforming is generally preferred for high volume runs, the present invention may be produced by injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, and other forms of processing plastics.

As seen in FIG. 1, the present invention provides a container 10 including a container body 12 which forms the bulk of the container structure which will contain substantially all of the fill. At the top of body 12 is the collar diameter 14 with upper stacking feature 16 (seen in FIG. 3). Container rim 18 is positioned above upper stacking feature 16. Upper container rim 18 is formed outwardly to improve the strength of the container as it is positioned in the carry tray (as seen in FIGS. 7-9). One or more tag insertion locators 20 are molded and slit via trim station, as surface features on upper container rim 18. The tag insertion locators 20 are positioned at a predetermined angle to the container alignment features 22 on upper rim 18 such that the orientation of the container alignment feature 22 is known when inserting container 10 into carry tray 50. At the bottom edge of body 12, a bottom collar 26 and container base 28 are formed. In the bottom collar 26 and container base 28 there is additional forming of the drainage cross 24 and a container alignment feature 22.

FIG. 2 shows the container base 28 in detail, in which drainage cross 24 and container alignment feature 22 are formed. The alignment feature 22 includes a central hub 22 a and two arms. The central hub 22 a has a first diameter and depth while each arm has a first width at the intersection with the hub 22 a and a second width, at the intersection with bottom collar 26. The first width of arms 22 b is less than the diameter of the hub 22 a. The second width of arm 22 b is less than the first width of arm 22 b, the width generally tapering from the hub 22 a to the bottom collars 26. Also included in base 28 are a number of feet 30 as well as drainage cross 24 and drainage holes 32. The narrowing of arms 22 b toward bottom collar 26 improves the seating of the container in automated machinery as the narrowed tip allows the container to self align when container base 28 is seated. The weight of the fill within container 10 provides the force to drive the pot to self correct and align to tray 50 such that any labeling on container 10 is properly oriented and visible.

FIG. 3 shows container 10 in accordance with the present invention including a container body 12, collar diameter 14 and upper stacking feature 16. Container rim 18 is positioned on top of upper stacking feature 16. Optionally, upper container rim 18 is molded such that the rim 18 is formed to improve strength. At the bottom edge of body 12, a bottom collar 26 and container base 28 are formed. In the bottom collar 26 and container base 28 is formed a drainage cross 24 and a container alignment feature 22 and feet 30. The bottom collar 26 is typically in the shape of a conical frustum, which serves as a stacking feature to raise base 28 of container 10 above the base of a second container when stacked. The stacking feature breaks any vacuum/friction/sidewall contact interference and reduces the effort required to separate stacked containers.

FIG. 4 shows container 10 from the rear, a container body 12, collar diameter 14 and upper stacking feature 16. Container rim 18 is positioned on top of upper stacking feature 16. The bottom collar 26 and container base 28 are formed at the bottom of body 12. In the bottom collar 26 and container base 28 is formed a drainage cross 24 and a container alignment feature 22 and feet 30. The bottom collar 26 is typically in the shape of a conical frustum, which serves as a stacking feature.

FIG. 5 shows the lower end of container 10 in accordance with the present invention including a container body 12, collar diameter 14 and upper stacking feature 16. Container rim 18 is positioned on top of upper stacking feature 16. Optionally, upper container rim 18 is molded such that the rim 18 is formed to improve strength. At the bottom edge of body 12, a bottom collar 26 and container base 28 are formed. In the bottom collar 26 and container base 28 is formed a drainage cross 24 and a female container alignment feature 22 and feet 30. When inserting the container 10 into carry tray 50 (as shown in FIG. 6) the container body 12 provides concentric alignment of the container body, needed for initial line up allowing the alignment feature 22 a/b to engage on feature 52. The tag insertion locators 20 (as seen in FIG. 1) provide basic visual guidance for rough orientation of the female container alignment feature 22 onto the male alignment feature 52 a, 52 b (shown in FIG. 7).

FIG. 6 shows a carry tray 50 including container receiving pockets 54. Typically carry tray 50 includes between two and twenty four pockets 54 positioned in pairs down the long axis 56 of tray 50. Each pocket includes a rear wall 54 a and a base 58. On the base 58 is a male alignment feature 52, raised from the base to interact with the female alignment feature 22 (as shown in FIG. 2). The container 10 is inserted into pocket 54 and aligned such that the female alignment feature 22 mates with male alignment feature 52. Hub 52 a is generally formed such that it is higher than the associated arms 52 b. The alignment of the container body 12 into pocket 54, forces features 22 a, 22 b of container 10 to contact and align with alignment features 52 a, 52 b in carry tray 50. This action properly orientates the tag locators 20 and proper printed/labeled face of container 12 into final position inside the carry tray 50. Male hub 52 a is inserted into female hub 22 a and then container 10 may be rotated so that male arms 52 b mate with female arms 22 b. The carry tray includes opposed sidewalls including an angled lower face 60, transition angle step 62 and upper wall 64 and transition 66 from the side wall to top surface 68.

FIG. 7 shows a carry tray 50 including container receiving pockets 54. Carry tray 50 typically includes between two and twenty four pockets 54 positioned in pairs. Each pocket includes a rear wall 54 a and a base 58. Male alignment feature 52 is raised from base 54 to interact with the female alignment feature 22. Hub 52 a is generally formed such that it is higher than the associated arms 52 b. Male hub 52 a is inserted into female hub 22 a and then container 10 may be rotated so that male arms 52 b mate with female arms 22 b. The carry tray includes opposed sidewalls including an angled lower face 60, transition angle step 62 and upper wall 64 and transition 66 from the side wall to top surface 68.

FIG. 8 shows a carry tray 50 including container receiving pockets 54 including a rear wall 54 a and a base 58. Male alignment feature 52 is raised from base 58 to interact with the female alignment feature 22. The carry tray includes opposed sidewalls including an angled lower face 60, transition angle step section 62 and upper wall 64 and transition 66 from the side wall to top surface 68.

EXAMPLES

The containers and carry trays of the present invention may be produced in any number of sizes; a number of examples are shown in TABLE 1.

TABLE 1 Volume Top O.D. Top I.D. Bottom I.D. Height US/Metric 1 4.625 4.25 3.625 4.625  31 oz/91 mL 2 6.5 5.875 5 6.5 2.6 qt/2.5 L 3 6.5 5.875 5 7 2.8 qt/2.7 L 4 6.5 5.875 5 7 2.8 qt/2.7 L 5 8.875 8.25 7.25 8.5 1.7 gal/6.5 L 6 10.25 9.5 8.75 9.125 2.5 gal/9.7 L 7 11 10 8.75 12 3.5 gal/13.5 L 8 12 10.75 9.625 10.5 3.5 gal/13.5 L

While the container 10 and carry tray 50 are currently thermoformed and injection molded other production methods such as blow molding, rotational molding, and other forms of processing plastics are useful in forming the present invention.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as molecular weight, reaction conditions, and so forth as used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical properties set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained in embodiments of the present invention. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical values, however, inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from error found in their respective measurements.

The present invention should not be considered limited to the specific examples described herein, but rather should be understood to cover all aspects of the invention. Various modifications, equivalent processes, as well as numerous structures and devices to which the present invention may be applicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, which is not to be considered limited to what is described in the specification. 

1. A container, comprising: a container body having an upper edge and a lower edge; a container rim at the upper edge of the container; a bottom collar having a container base at the lower edge of body; and a container alignment feature having a central hub as well as at least two arms extending outwardly from the central hub, each arm and having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the periphery of the base.
 2. The container of claim 1, further comprising: a drainage cross formed in the container base.
 3. The container of claim 1, further comprising: at least one tag insertion locators formed in the container rim.
 4. The container of claim 1, wherein the container alignment feature includes two arms.
 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the central hub has a hub height and each arm having an arm height, the hub height being greater than the arm height.
 6. The container of claim 1, wherein each arm has a first width at the hub and a second width at bottom collar, the first width being greater than the second width.
 7. The container of claim 1, wherein each arm has a first cross-sectional area at the hub and a second cross-sectional area at bottom collar, the first cross-sectional area being greater than the second cross-sectional area.
 8. The container of claim 1, wherein each arm has a first height at the hub and a second height at bottom collar, the first height being greater than the second height.
 9. The container of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of drainage holes.
 10. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, injection molding, blow molding and rotational molding.
 11. A container system, comprising: a container having: a container body having an upper edge and a lower edge; a container rim at the upper edge of the container; a bottom collar having a container base at the lower edge of body; and a container alignment feature indented into the container and having a central hub as well as at least two arms extending outwardly from the hub, each arm and having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the periphery of the base, and a carry tray having: a plurality of pocket, each including a rear wall and a base; a base alignment feature raised from the base and having a central hub as well as at least two arms extending outwardly from each arm and having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the periphery of the base.
 12. The container system of claim 11, wherein the central hub of the container alignment feature is indented further into the container body than each arm.
 13. The container system of claim 11, wherein the central hub of the base alignment feature is raised further than each arm.
 14. The container system of claim 11, wherein the container alignment feature is substantially identical to the base alignment feature.
 15. The container system of claim 11, further comprising: a drainage cross formed in the container base.
 16. The container system of claim 11, further comprising: at least one tag insertion locators formed in the container rim.
 17. The container system of claim 11, wherein each arm has a first width at the hub and a second width at bottom collar, the first width being greater than the second width.
 18. The container system of claim 11, wherein each arm has a first cross-sectional area at the hub and a second cross-sectional area at bottom collar, the first cross-sectional area being greater than the second cross-sectional area.
 19. The container system of claim 11, wherein each arm has a first height at the hub and a second height at bottom collar, the first height being greater than the second height.
 20. The container system of claim 11, wherein the container and carry tray are formed by a method selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, injection molding, blow molding and rotational molding.
 21. (canceled)
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